NEIL Harris doesn’t buy into the notion that Millwall are the giants against AFC Wimbledon when the sides clash in the fifth round of the FA Cup this Saturday.
That was how Dons boss Wally Downes described the Lions after the draw, but Harris believes there is a far bigger gap between his side and Everton, whom they conquered in the last round, than Millwall and the League One club.
The sides are aiming for a potentially lucrative quarter-final tie when they meet at Kingsmeadow.
“I think it’s slightly different,” Harris said. “I don’t think we’re the powerhouse that Everton were coming to The Den in Wimbledon’s eyes. We certainly don’t see it like that.
“It’s a team we’ve come up against in previous seasons so we know each other. It’s all about the prize – a quarter-final draw. That’s the attraction for both teams, it’s not about Wimbledon causing an upset by beating a team in a league above. It’s just about getting through.
“That’s what the players are playing for and what will drive them on, the chance to play in an FA Cup quarter-final.
“Yes we can talk about how proud and privileged we are from previous years. I watched QPR-Portsmouth the other night and QPR are in the fifth round for the first time in 22 years – that’s unbelievable. We’ve done it every few years for a period.
“We take it for granted getting to the later stages of the FA Cup but it’s an unbelievable achievement. That’s what we’ve got to aim for.
“Playing Wimbledon in the fifth round of the FA Cup, you have to earn that right to be in the next round. You have to earn that by physically and mentally competing and having that quality. We certainly have the quality to win the game and we have to make sure that we’ve got the right mentality and we approach the game in the right manner.
“The prize that awaits is an unbelievable opportunity in the last eight of the FA Cup. We look forward to it and I’ll be really excited come the day to have that opportunity.”
Harris will be without the cup-tied Ben Thompson, Ben Marshall and Fred Onyedinma.
Tom Elliott could face his former club if he recovers from illness, while the Lions are also hoping Lee Gregory will be available after he went off late in the 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday.
Downes has no new injury worries and could pick the same side that won 1-0 at Walsall on Tuesday, their first league victory in eight games.
Possible Millwall team
4-4-2
Archer; Romeo, Hutchinson, Cooper, M Wallace; J Wallace, Leonard, Williams, Ferguson; Gregory, Elliott.
Match odds
AFC Wimbledon 3-1 Draw 12-5 Millwall 5-6
Path to the fifth round
Dons
First round: Haringey Borough 0-1 Wimbledon
Second round: Halifax Town 1-3 Wimbledon
Third round: Fleetwood Town 2-3 Wimbledon
Fourth round: Wimbledon 4-2 West Ham
Lions
Third round: Millwall 2-1 Hull
Fourth round: Millwall 3-2 Everton
Image: Millwall FC